This past April, Pennsylvania received more than $14 million in federal and local aid to ensure that the pandemic did not suppress voter turnout. The primary election date was moved from April to June and gave the Commonwealth time to heavily promote the new no-excuse mail-in ballot, deemed a safer alternative to in-person voting.

But for the blind or visually impaired, this presented another challenge. The mail-in ballots were not available in either braille or in large print, making it almost mandatory to need sighted assistance. Blind voters would have to choose between risking their health or possibly sacrificing a long-treasured right to vote.

When the National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania (NFBP) brought their concerns to the Department of State, their issues were largely dismissed. Eventually, the NFBP filed a lawsuit against the department, demanding an immediate, accessible and equally safe option for the June primary.

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